George btjckelew



(No Mod-e1.)

G. BUCKELEW.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Apr. 9,

1u: Nonngs vmzns so, PhorauTn-m wAsHmu GEORGE BU CKELEW, OF AREQUIPA, PERU.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,383, dated Aprii 9, i895.

' Application filed May 14, 1894. Serial No. 511,123. (No model.)

, scending object.

Primarily the object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact and efficient device, whereby the descent of a person or article may be gradual independent of any performance other than the weight of said person or article. Further objects are to provide means for regulating the descent of persons or arlicles of varying weights; to provide means for securing a regular and uniform descent of the object; and to provide means for supporting an object, and to prevent the supporting device from slipping when aweight is placed thereon.

The invention will rst be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one way of using the invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation partly in section of my invention on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation on the line III--III of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, illustrating the pulley, rope and brake for preventing the rope from slipping.

Referring tothe drawings A is a housing or boxing of any suitable construction having a suitable hanger or hook A and preferably made in two sections separated from each other but rigidly secured together by stud bolts a, or their equivalents. Within each section of the housing is a closed casing or cylinder B, having the trunnions b, fitting into apertures in said sections and by which the cylinders are pivotally secured thereto in' such manner as to oscillate on said trunnions. Each cylinder is provided with a retarding agent b', preferably of oil, though it is obvious that other liquids, or, in some instances, a gas may be used if desired. Arranged within the cylinders are the pistons b2, having the apertures b3, therethrough to allow the retarding agent to pass from one side of the pistons to the other as the pistons reciprocate back and forth; the size of said apertures varying according to the speed it is desired a body of a given weight to descend. These pistons are secured to the inner ends of the rods b4, which pass through the stuffing boxes h5 of the cylinders and have their outer ends pivotally secured to cranks h6. The cranks b5, are arranged at angles to each other to aid in passing the dead centers and are secured to the ends of a horizontal main or drivingshaft t7, which is journaled in the sections of the housing and has centrally arranged thereon and rigidly secured thereto a pulley bs. This pulley has a guard b9 around the upper portion thereof and is preferably provided with flared sides or flanges for the purpose of retaining a rope or cable C, thereon; the said cable or rope usually making more than one turn around the pulley to insure the rotation of said pulley as the cable is moved.

To further prevent the cable from slipping, I preferably provide a brake C arranged b-etween the sections of the housing, at the lower portion thereof, and in the path of movement of the rope, as best shown in Fig. 4. This brake has the abutting end pieces c and .the

block c centrally located between said end pieces. Secured to or retained within apertures of the block o are the springs c2 oppositely arranged and carrying on' their ends a 4shoe or plate c3 which may be secured to the springs or slidingly held between the sections.

The shoes c3 will yield sufficiently to allow the rope or cable to pass, but, at the same time, will bind the rope against the end pieces o for the purpose of keeping said rope taut. The rope is preferably endless and of suflicient length to nearly reach the ground so that the party descending may be pulled away from the building by a person on the sidewalk; the said rope having arranged thereon the loops ct, usually two, whereby a person by IOO placing the same under his arms, as shown in Fig. 1, may materially aid in retaining and supporting himself on the rope while descending.

In operation, the housing being attached to a suitable support by the hook A', and the person or article secured to the rope, as shown in Fig. l, it will be seen that as the person descends the rope will cause the pulley bs to rotate, thereby imparting rotary motion to the shaft 57, cranks b and a reciprocating movement of the pistons h2 which oscillates the cylinders as said pistons move back and forth. The retarding liquid, if such is used, during the movements of the pistons, passes from one side of the piston to the other by means of the apertures b3; the said apertures being sufiiciently small to permit the liquid to pass through same in such quantity as to prevent sudden descent of the person.

The device is not only applicable as a lire escape, but may be employed to advantage for lowering objects of any kind, inasmuch as the operation of the device is entirely automatic.

It is obvious that instead of the aperture in the piston a groove may be formed in the cylinder, or the upper and lower portion of the cylinder maybe connected with a pipe for the passage of theliquid or retarding agent from one side of the piston to the other. I might, in some instances, use only one cylinder, but

I preferably use two having their cranks ar-y ranged at angles to each other to prevent jarring while passing the dead centers. Instead of the rope or cable I may use a chain by providing a different pulley therefor; and instead of using merely two loops, eyes or suitable hooks might be provided at intervals along the rope or cable so that a person might secure a loop or other device therein to aid in retaining him upon the rope during the de- 4o scent. The cylinder or cylinders might be stationary, in which case a pitman and crosshead would be used to connect the piston rod to the crank.

Other changes of substantially the same character may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a lire escape, the combination with a housing or suitable support comprising two sections, of a cylinder pivotally arranged in each section and having a piston, a retarding liquid and a passage for said liquid arranged within the cylinder, a main or driving shaft journaled in the housing and having its ends passed into the sections of the housing, a pulley secured to the shaft between the sections of said housing and having a guard placed above and partly around the same, cranks arranged on the drive shafts, and placed at angles to each other, rods connecting the pistons and the cranks, together with an endless rope passing around the pulley, substantially as described.

2. In a iire escape, a brake comprising stationary end pieces, a stationary block having oppositely arranged springs, together with plates or shoes normally pressed outwardly by said springs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE BU CKELEW.

Witnesses:

J. A. E. CRIswELL, WM. B. CROWELL. 

